Orochimaru passed the system's judgment?
Wait, what? Orochimaru's a woman now? Was the Naruto I watched fake all along?
Hold on… Hebihime? Don't tell me
Neji began to eye Orochimaru suspiciously. Could this freak have possessed a woman's body?!
"Yeah… That must be it."
He cast a quick glance at Anko Mitarashi…
Had he picked up a sesame seed and thrown away a watermelon?
If he'd known earlier, he would've just gone for it. For some reason, Anko suddenly felt… discarded.
Right now, in Neji's eyes, Orochimaru was nothing less than a walking treasure trove.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Seeing Neji suddenly charge, Orochimaru sneered, preparing to eliminate him. But to his surprise, Neji's right arm transformed into four large green serpents.
"What?!"
He can do that too?
Is he Anko's disciple?
Doesn't seem like it!
Orochimaru was stunned, and in that moment of distraction, Neji managed to grab hold of him.
"Host embraced the waist of the Hebihime. Reward acquired: Tōen Ryūga."
Tōen Ryūga: Launches the enemy into the air with serpents, then summons two massive snakes to strike from both sides.
Even with Neji's usual calm nature, he couldn't hide his excitement now this was the day he became stronger.
He didn't waste a second. As his serpentine right arm dragged Orochimaru back, his left hand suddenly rose.
"Danger!"
Sensing the motion, Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, his neck extended like a whip, trying to intercept Neji's strike first.
"Kid, you underestimate me. You have no idea what Kage-level power really means!" Orochimaru shouted coldly.
Completely dismissing Neji, Orochimaru surged forward and coiled himself around Neji's arm but Neji wasn't flustered in the slightest. He raised his hand with determination and flashed a grin.
Then… he patted Orochimaru's head.
"Host executed a 'Headpat Kill' on the Hebihime. Reward acquired: Yamata no Jutsu."
Yamata no Jutsu: The embodiment of unwavering obsession. Transforms the user into the Eight-Headed Serpent, a being of overwhelming destructive power rivaling the Tailed Beasts.
Neji smiled with great satisfaction. Yamata no Jutsu Orochimaru's most powerful technique. In terms of sheer force, it was on par with a Bijuu's might. The more Neji looked at Orochimaru, the more he liked him. This goldmine was far from dry.
But at this moment, to Orochimaru, the world fell completely silent. Even in the distance, Anko stared as if she'd just seen a ghost.
Someone… had just
"No… this must be a genjutsu," Anko muttered to herself.
Or maybe I just opened my eyes the wrong way.
Eyes open. Eyes closed.
She repeated it several times. The scene didn't change Neji was still… petting the snake's head.
"Aaaargh!"
Orochimaru finally came back to his senses. Furious, he broke free from Neji's grasp, and from his gaping mouth erupted a swarm of serpents, slithering toward Neji.
"I'm going to kill you!"
From both sides, two massive snakes under Orochimaru's control lunged, jaws wide open, fangs gleaming.
At the same time, Orochimaru's tongue suddenly elongated, transforming into a large serpent that wrapped tightly around Neji's neck.
The entire scene was eerie and unsettling especially Orochimaru's appearance. It was something you couldn't quite describe… but it was terrifying.
Still, Neji remained calm. As danger loomed, his Byakugan activated in an instant.
"Pressure Release!"
A colossal force surged outward. Neji had unleashed his full might. Even Orochimaru, a Kage-level powerhouse, was caught completely off guard. He froze in place, unable to move.
Neji knew this wouldn't last long. With Orochimaru's strength, he would break free soon. Time was of the essence.
As Neji sped toward him, a trace of panic flickered in Orochimaru's eyes. He struggled against the pressure, and just as he was about to shatter it
Neji was already standing before him.
He tried to speak, but he couldn't. His body was completely paralyzed. From afar, Anko's heart trembled. What she saw was beyond anything she'd expected.
Both of them had assumed Neji was going to land a killing blow. But what happened next
Was something neither of them could have predicted.
Neji stood solemnly, with a sense of reverence, his expression intense and filled with purpose. A noble aura surrounded him, like a righteous hero standing tall.
But what was he doing?
He… held Orochimaru's hand.
"Host held hands with the Hebihime. Reward acquired: Orochimaru-style Substitution Technique."
Orochimaru-style Substitution Technique: A perfected version of the Body Replacement Jutsu. Allows the user to escape from harm by shedding their outer body through the mouth. Requires no hand signs. Even Amaterasu can be evaded with this technique.
"Hyūga Neji, hurry up and kill Orochimaru!" Anko shouted desperately.
But Neji remained unmoved. Kill Orochimaru? Was she out of her mind? This guy was a treasure vault he hadn't even gotten to the best stuff yet.
And besides, Neji couldn't kill him even if he wanted to. Rather than wasting time trying, it was better to squeeze out more rewards.
But luck doesn't last forever. Just as Neji was about to make another move, Orochimaru finally shattered the pressure and glared at Neji with unfiltered malice.
"You little brat… Die!"
"Multiple Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Both of Orochimaru's arms transformed into a mass of writhing serpents, lunging at Neji from different directions to bind him.
"Hyūga Neji, run!" Anko cried out in panic.
"Run? He must die. This is what he gets for humiliating me!"
Orochimaru was livid, utterly enraged. But suddenly, he froze. A cold sweat broke out across his entire body. He couldn't move.
An overwhelming sense of dread engulfed him. His instincts screamed danger.
What was that?
A skeletal structure emerged from Neji's hand, radiating a destructive aura. Orochimaru instinctively knew if this thing touched him, he would die.
"What now, Orochimaru? Still planning to kill me?" Neji asked coldly, his voice unhurried.
Orochimaru broke out in a second cold sweat, quickly retracting his snakes. His gaze toward the young man before him was filled with fear and apprehension.
"What is that? Shikotsumyaku? Just like Kimimaro… A Kekkei Genkai from the Kaguya Clan? But Kimimaro was supposed to be the last of them…"
No… It looked like it, but it wasn't Shikotsumyaku. Then what was it?
If I could obtain this power… not even the Mangekyō Sharingan could stand in my way.
Orochimaru's mind churned with possibilities, but he dared not show any of it. Neji was too close. At this distance, he wouldn't be able to dodge in time.
"Orochimaru, stand still and don't move," Neji said coldly.
The words sent a chill down Orochimaru's spine. He recalled the terrifying pressure from earlier and made up his mind he wouldn't suffer that kind of humiliation again.
Then, just as Neji took a step forward
From Orochimaru's sleeve, dozens of snakes burst forth, their jaws wide, lunging at Neji with all their might.